US F-35Bs Conduct Armed Patrols over the Caribbean

US F-35Bs conduct armed patrols over the Caribbean

U.S. Marine Corps F-35B aircraft have been flying armed patrols over the Caribbean as part of wider operations under US Southern Command, new imagery confirms. The stealth fighters are officially supporting missions aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks, but their presence also signals a clear message amid renewed attention on Venezuela. Photos released by the U.S. Air Force show the jets carrying AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X air-to-air mis…

No Marines Arm F-35B With GBU-54 Laser JDAM In Puerto Rico Buildup

U.S. Marines loaded a GBU-54(V)2/B Laser JDAM into an F-35B Lightning II at Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport, Puerto Rico, on October 16, 2025, signaling escalating combat readiness in the Caribbean. The operation, conducted by Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 (VMFA-225) “Vikings,” utilized an A/S32K-1E weapons loader to arm the stealth fighter with the 500-pound precision-guided munition, featuring a BLU-111C/B warhead. The GBU-54 represents a…